1. Hot Pot: ‘Like a hell-broth boil and bubble,’ said Shakespeare. If Macbeth lived in present-day Pakistan, he and the three witches would have bonded over a cauldron in which they dropped their choice of meat, noodles and vegetables. Just like you all did in the hot pot spots that popped up on every rooftop like an epidemic.

2. Austerity Measures/Bargain hunting: ’Twas the year to let your conscience prevent you from pressing the ‘Buy Now’ button. ’Twas the year to hunt for cheaper local options. As the rupee went into freefall, and Pakistanis woke up poorer by the day, discussing austerity measures became kosher across all social classes, and hunting for bargains became the only pastime we could afford anymore.

3. Mental Health:  In the post-Covid world, those who were not seeking a therapist were probably thinking of becoming one. As the stigma around mental health faded, in its place came questions like which mental health app to download, which type of therapy to seek, and the old psychiatrist vs psychologist vs counsellor challenge. In other words, the mental chatter around stopping the mental chatter.

4. Eco-consciousness:  As frequent news of local and global climate-induced disasters reached us, sustainability went beyond being a buzzword to becoming more of a way of life. From reducing single-use plastics to upcycling old furniture to buying pre-loved, many Pakistanis finally began to understand that every small effort can make a significant impact. Also, having a bad economy helped.

5. AI: The power of AI dawned on the technology slackers among us when we received our first scarily perfect email from a not-so-perfect colleague. Generated text was just the tip of the AI iceberg. Is this ethical? Shouldn’t I be doing something? Is it worth getting out of bed anymore? One thing is clear though. It is time to find another superpower.

Shahrezad Samiuddin works in communications and is an agony aunt. shahrezadsamiuddin@hotmail.com